AU To Shanshu in LA
by jediknigh5
Summary: The title sums it up. What if Lindsey had made better choices? What if Angel were more willing to help?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

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Angel was sitting in the dark, possibly reading, or just brooding. Wesley was still trying to translate the Shanshu phrophecy, no easy task given that it was written in over a dozen different languages, some of which weren't even human. And Cordelia was reading the newspaper when something caught her eye. She decided that the whole group should know this immediately.

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Cordelia: Hey guys, remember born-again lawyer boy who wanted out of Wolfram and Hart so bad?

Wesley: Lindsey, what about him?

Cordelia: He's insane.

Angel: Huh?

Cordelia: According to this article Wolfram and Hart dismissed junior associate Lindsey Mcdonald because he suffered from paranoid delusions and self-destructive tendancies.

Wesley: They're covering their hides, want to make sure if he turns against them he won't be believed.

Cordelia: Or maybe the "self-destructive" part means they're planning to murder him and make it look like suicide.

Angel: Those things aren't mutually exclusive. I better warn him.

Wesley: Do you know where he lives?

Angel: No, but we're suppossed to be a detective agency, I'll find him.

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Angel went out to look for Lindsey, but it became unneccessary. Lindsey was standing outside his front door, getting ready to knock. Angel was suprised, he was actually relieved to see Lindsey still alive.

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Lindsey: I need your help.

Angel: Come in. I guess you saw the article.

Lindsey: What article?

Angel: Wolfram and Hart claims they fired you because you're insane and have a deathwish.

Lindsey: That's standard practice. They might be coming after me, eventually. But they don't have an endless army of assasins, and you did kill one of their best.

Angel: That why you came to me?

Lindsey: I'm not afraid to die, I'm afraid of what I might do.

Angel: You're afraid you'll go back to evil.

Lindsey: Holland, my old boss, he made me an offer. A very attractive offer.

Angel: He offered you all the kingdoms of the world, if you would just bow down and worship him?

Lindsey: Not that good, but a hell of a lot better than thirty pieces of silver. Anyway I just sat in this office, for about an hour, trying to decide. Finally I gathered all of my strength and walked away. I'm not that strong, I need help or I'm not going to be able to resist. I figure, if anyone can help me be a better person, it's you. You redeemed the rogue slayer Faith, and yes I remember that I'm one of the people who sent her to kill you.

Angel: I don't know if I'm the best person to help. I wandered the earth for, almost a hundred years before I decided to seriously consider redemption. You'll die of old age before then.

Lindsey: With Wolfram and Hart having me in their crosshairs, I wouldn't bet on me living long enough to die of old age.

Angel: Even after I got my soul back, I did a lot of things I wish I could take back. Faith turned herself over to the police because she knew she couldn't trust herself to be good. Don't get me wrong, it was noble of her, and I am pulling for Faith to find redemption. But I don't know if she ca ever be trusted to be free again.

Lindsey: So what should I do?

Angel: What's it called when a lawyer does legal work for free?

Lindsey: Pro Bono.

Angel: Try that. Find someone who needs legal advice, can't pay, and help them.

Lindsey: Okay, I might know a few opportunities. Can I come to you, if I need further advice?

Angel: Sure. I'll be checking in on you, from time to time, just to see how you're doing. Remember that.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

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It wasn't hard for Lindsey to find someone who needed free legal help. A man who had run a teen homeless shelter had died recently, leaving the shelter in the care of his volunteer and protege Anne. Despite Anne's experience and this training, she was new to this. It wouldn't be hard for Wolfram and Hart to take advantage of a naive person like her, use her shelter to launder money, probably leave her holding the bag if the police got wise to it. Lindsey went to Anne, offered to help her shelter Pro Bono. He was looking over some documents Anne gave her when someone began knocking at the door. It was Angel, he seemed angry.

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Angel: Okay Lindsey, we both know I can't come in there but...

Lindsey: Wipe your feet.

Angel: What?

Lindsey; Wipe your feet, you can come in. I invite you in already, what do you want?

Angel: Your old friends at Wolfram and Hart, they put Cordelia and Wesley in comas. I need the scroll of Aberjin to restore them, Wolfram and Hart stole it back.

Lindsey: Okay, before I left there was talk of something big going down. I don't know what exactly but Holland was clear about only inviting his top people. Follow Holland Manners, he'll be there to witness it himself. If he went out of his way to steal the scroll, chances are it will be at the event.

Angel: Thank you. I know you're new to this whole being good thing, but I need you to watch Cordelia and Wesley, in case they send someone after them.

Lindsey: Okay, what hospital are they at?

Angel: St Marks. My associate Charles Gunn is already on his way. I wouldn't ask either of you, except I'm desperate.

Lindsey: Thanks for the confidence.

Angel: I'm counting on you Lindsey, don't let me down.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

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When Lindsey arrived at St Mark's he saw Charles Gunn for the first time, and a security guard seemed to be hastling Gunn. Lindsey went over to help his new ally.

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Lindsey: I'm Lindsey Mcdonald, attorney at law. This man is my client so I'd like to know what this is about.

Guard: Three months ago this man, whatever his real name is, came here for certain suspicious injuries, gave us a fake name and address, and skipped out on his bill. Now he shows up, demanding to see Cordelia Chase and Wesley Wyndam-Price.

Lindsey: My client and I both work for Angel Investigations. Ms Chase and my Wyndam-Price also work for this organization. Our employer feared that, given their injuries, that there might be certain end of life issues that might arise. We were asked to come and make sure nothing happanned until we could properly determine either of their wishes.

Guard: You think we'd pull the plug prematurely?

Lindsey: I tried to say it more dignified than that.

Guard: And your friend here?

Lindsey: I supposse it is your right to require mr Gunn to leave. However, the issue of what he might owe you can be discussed later. Should you escort him out now, while he's performing his job, that would impair his ability to repay this allaged debt.

Guard: I see your point. Very well, you two can observe in ms Chase's and mr Wyndam-Price's respective rooms. Provided you don't interfere with the doctors in any way.

Lindsey: Last thing we want is to prevent the doctors from doing all they can to save the lives of our friends.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

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This was a weird gig for Charles Gunn. Protecting people who'd already been injured was one thing, nothing new for a leader in a war zone. But working with a vampire, that was new. Gunn wasn't sure what the deal with Lindsey was. He was a lawyer, worked for Wolfram and Hart, or at least he did until recently. Gunn knew that firm a little, they did more damage to neighborhoods like his in one day, than ten vampires could do in a week. But maybe Lindsey was willing to change, he had helped when Gunn's crew throw a vampire in with those other lawyers. A vampire versus lawyers, the only problem there was Gunn didn't know who to root for. Admittedly Lindsay did help Gunn with that security guard, he actually reminded Gunn of a public defender he had when he was facing charges of assault and disturbing the peace. Cordelia and Wesley were placed in rooms across from each other, allowing Lindsey to just stand outside and keep an eye on each other. They both noticed a young woman holding flowers. Few had reason to find her suspicios in a hospital, she looked like she was just here to visit a sick friend. But Lindsey recognized her. She was a vampire, one of the recent trainees in the firm's assasins training program. And Gunn's experience just made him very good at spotting a vampire. He verified by looking at her through the glass, no reflection. Either she was there to kill Cordelia and/or Wesley, or maybe just steal blood from the hospital. Either way, they couldn't let her succeed. Gunn threw holy water on her face, she screamed in pain and attacked him. Lindsey came to Gunn's aid. Together they were able to drive a stake through the vampire's heart and watch as she turned into dust. A few saw this, and tried to ignore it. People didn't just turn to dust like this, they must be hallucinating. Lindsey and Gunn had to admit, they made a pretty good team when they worked together.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

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Angel returned with the scroll. By this time Wesley had regained consciousness and was able to read the scroll of Aberjin. This was what was needed to save Cordelia. Lindsey still didn't understand exactly how it worked, but it worked. After Wesley read the right words there was a flash of light in the hospital room, and then suddenly Cordelia was better.

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Later Angel, Gunn, and Lindsey were able to bring Wesley and Cordelia to Cordelia's apartment. They could bring Wesley to his apartment later, but for now they also needed his help in figurig out what exactly Wolfram and Hart had raised. Lindsey had left the firm, perhaps a bit early. Now he couldn't tell them what his old employers were planning. At any rate Angel decided to tell Lindsey a little story.

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Angel: The night I got my soul back, I tried to bite a woman, drink her blood.

Lindsey: Did you kill her?

Angel: No, somehow I was able to pull myself away and let her live. It's the same strength that made you walk away when they offered you a promotion. Any slayer back then would have killed me, even if they knew what I had become. I was a waste, I hadn't really done anything good even when I was human. Noone could have thought I could ever become a good person, but then someone did. Doyle, he gave his life to save mine. He seemed to think the Powers that be have some big plan for me. I still don't know what that might mean, I'm not sure Doyle knew what it was exactly. But he gave his life, because he thought I was worth it. That means something, and whatever this prophecy says about me maybe dying, I'm going to be there for you.

Lindsey: Thank you. I can't promise I won't screw up, but I'll try.

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Angel was grateful to have Lindsey on his side right now. Whatever Wolfram and Hart were planning, he needed all the help he could get. Lindsey was a resource, and maybe, he could become a friend.


End file.
